Ratchet type socket wrench



A. E... FOREMAN RA'I'CHET TYPE SOCKET WRENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 12, 1945 mm A. a... FOREMAN RATCHET TYPE SOCKET WRENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 12, 1945 I n 1/8)] to;

ALE/V LE FUR 9w 9 \w mm mm R om Patented May 2, 1950 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE RATCHET TYPE SOCKET WRENCH Allen Lee Foreman, Three Rivers, Mich.

Application December 12, 1945, Serial No. 634,469

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in wrenches and more particularly to a tool of this character adapted for use in very close or tight places where wrenches of the usual type cannot be conveniently employed and the invention has for its primary object to provide a ratchet-type wrench for operating a nut engaging socket by means of a pivoted lever.

A further object of the invention is to provide reversing means for the nut engaging socket attached to the wrench.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a pivoted driving end for the wrench adapted for interchangeable connection with nut engaging sockets of various sizes whereby the tool may be operated in various angular positions with respect to the work.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is strong and durable, efficient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view.

Figure 2 is a top plan View.

Figure 3 is a front end elevational view.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view.

Figure 5 is a similar View taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional View showing the reversing button.

Referring now to the drawings in detail where in for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates a handle having a gear housing 6 at its front end and including a removable cover plate 1 at one side thereof.

A lever 8 is positioned longitudinally at one side of the handle 5 with its front end projecting into the housing 6 through an opening 9 and pivoted therein by means of a transverse pivot pn H]. The inner end of the lever 8 is formed with a gear segment ll engaging a spur gear l2 slidably mounted on a transverse shaft [2a and having ratcheting clutch teeth I 3 at each end for engaging similar clutch teeth l4 formed on a pair of beveled gears l5 and I6 journaled respectively in opposite sides of the housing 6 on the shaft 12a.

The ends of the gear l2 are formed with flanges I! between which an arcuate block I8 is positioned constituting a clutch shifting yoke.

Attached to the top of the block I8 is a yieldable frame 68a of spring material formed at its top with a downwardly extending offset I81) and to which an upstanding button 19 is attached which projects outwardly through a slot 20 in the housing 6 for sliding the block to shift the gear I 2 transversely in the housing for the selective engagement of the clutch teeth l3 at the ends of the gears with the respective clutch teeth M of the gears l5 and 16.

The button i9 is formed with lugs I9a on its bottom adapted for seating in lateral recesses 20a at the edges of the slot 20.

The gears l5 and it are operatively engaged with a gear 2| secured at the rear end of a longitudinally extending shaft 22 journaled in the housing 6 and also having a gear 23 at its front end.

The gear 23 engages a gear 24 freely mounted on the inner end of a shaft 25 journaled trans versely in the head 5 and having its outer end projecting outwardly of the housing and provided with a lever 26 pivoted to its outer end by means of a yoke 21.

Formed on the shaft 25 is an angularly extending pin 28 on which a gear 23 is journaled in engagement with the gear 24, the gear 29 having a forwardly projecting driving lug 30 formed therewith of square shape in cross section and projecting forwardly of the housing 6 through a slot 31 in the front end of the housing.

The front end of the housing 6 is rounded and the slot 3| enables a adjustment of the driving lug 3i! in the front end thereof. The lug 30 is adapted for interchangeably attaching wrench sockets of various sizes thereto or other suitable tools for rotation by the driving lug.

The driving lug is secured in its adjusted position in the slot 30 and swingably on the axis of the shaft 25 by means of a pin 32 extending downwardly adjacent the end of the lever 26 and selectively engageable in recesses 33 formed in the housing 6 and removable plate 1 as indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings. The lever is yieldably retained in adjusted position by a leaf spring 26a.

By reason of this construction the driving lug 30 may be secured in an angularly adjusted position with respect to the handle 5 and may be rotated in opposite direct ons by the pivotal movement of the lever 8 by sliding the gear l2 .in opposite directions by means of the button l9 to when .0.13 in use,:hy 21 ca engage or disengage the respective gears l5 and [6. The button is raised upwardly out of the recesses 20a to enable the sliding thereof in the slot 20 and the spring frame l8a pulls the head of the button downwardly into one of the recesses to lock the clutch in either its forward or reverse driving position.

The lever B is urged to its open position away from the handle 5 by means of a coil spring 34 positioned'between the inner :end of the lever '8 and thehandle 5 and the lever is moved into its closed position by the operation of the tool whereby to produce a rotary movement of the driving lug 30 through the racheting engagement 'between the gear 12 and the gears l5 and it.

The rear end of the handle 5 is also formed with a wrench socket engaging lug 35 and the rear end Of the lever B is formed with a removable section 35 having an opening 3's therein adapted for engaging the lug 35 for operating -th e'wrench. rear end of the lever B is releasably engaged in the section by a spring proje ted ball -1ihe.1 ve1' 8 m y be. 1d again thehandie 5 :In view of the ioreg iptien taken in .GQniunotion with the a 1.1g drawings it is believed tha a cl a und andi g of e o struction, operation and advante of the device will be .quite apparent to those skilledin this a t- .A more d ailed des ription is accordingl d emed un ce s ry.

It is to be understood, however, that even thoughthere is herein shown and described a preierred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the s pe of the appended .claims.

:What Lclaim i A wrench comprising a handle having a gear housing at its front end, a lever pivoted to the handle and having a gear segment at its front end, ,a drive iug projecting from the front end of the housing, and operating connection hetiveenthe lug and the g, segment, and including a. lidable nga in the s ar segment,

a pair of gears in the housing spaced from the ends of the slidable gear, gears connecting said last named gears with the lug, interengaging clutch teeth at the ends of the sliding gear and on said pair of gears and means for slidably actuating the sliding gear for reversibly driving the lug and including a yoke-like member engaging the sliding gear, a manipulating button having a cross-head, recesses in the housing receiving the cross-head to secure the sliding gear in its opgposite igposition, .and yieldable connecting means between the button andth'e yoke-like member to urge the cross-head in said recesses.

2. A wrench comprising a handle having a gear housing at=.one end thereof, a lever pivoted to the handle for swinging thereon, a drive lug extending out :of said housing, operating connections between said lever and drive lug for drivign said lug in opposite directions, selectively,

upon swinging of said lever comprising a gear slidable in the housing into opposite positions,

"reversible gearing in saidhousing for driving-said lug and including {a pair of :gears between which thelslidablegear'is slidable, clutch means forcon- :necting said slidable gears :to said pair of gears alternately, manipulative means for sliding said gear comprising a yoke-like member engaging the gear,.a:button having across head,said housing having recesses therein receiving the cross head to secure \the gear in its opposite positions,

and yieldable connecting means between the but-- ton and yoke-like member to urge rthe cross head into said recesses.

LEE

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Walton Aug. 21, 

